The analyst company IDC is expecting that gaming PC shipments will decline 2023 while gaming monitor shipments will increase. Specifically, it believes that gaming monitor shipments will grow 10.8% year-over-year and that gaming PCs will decline 10.5% over the same period.
While things don’t appear good for gaming PCs, the market is actually more resilient than the rest of the PC market. IDC says this is because buyers are looking to take advantage of lower prices of last-generation products and discounts on current generation products due to excess inventory.
Commenting on the predictions, Jay Chou, research manager for IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly PC Monitor Tracker, said:
‘After five quarters of year-on-year volume declines, the gaming monitor market managed to regain positive momentum in the second quarter. Improved cost structures and continued industry focus means we should expect a stronger recovery in this part of the gaming device landscape. With a typical gaming monitor costing a little over $300, it presents a cost-effective way to improve user experience both in and out of gaming.’
While things suck for gaming PC shipments right now, things will improve in the coming years, according to IDC. Between 2023 and 2027, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of gaming PCs will reach 4.6% while gaming monitors will have a 7.7% CAGR.
IDC said that one of the main factors in the decline in gaming PC shipments is the poor economic situation. In the United States, inflation is still above the 2% target set by the Federal Reserve and currently sits at 3.7%.
This means that prices in shops are rising about twice as fast as normal and wallets are under more pressure. In addition, higher interest rates mean that borrowing is more expensive so it’s harder to lend money for consumers to buy gaming hardware on credit.
Source: IDC